Schloss Stolzenfels

About the museum

Stolzenfels Castle rises on a rocky spur on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite the mouth of the Lahn, where the territories of the Electorates of Trier, Mainz and Cologne once met. The medieval castle was built around 1244 by Archbishop Arnold von Isenburg of Trier; for a long time it also served as a customs station on the Rhine. In 1688 French troops burned down the complex, after which it was used as a quarry.

After the ruin fell to the city of Koblenz in 1802, the city gave it in 1823 to the Prussian crown prince, later King Frederick William IV. From 1836 he had it rebuilt to plans by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, sparing the medieval remains as far as possible. Together with the landscape park designed by Peter Joseph Lenné and the palace gardens, it forms a total work of art, regarded as the most important testimony to Prussian Romanticism on the Rhine.

Today the palace is an institution of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate and is cared for by the Generaldirektion Kulturelles Erbe (General Directorate for Cultural Heritage). The interior largely retains its original furnishings: old paintings, weapons and furniture combine with neo-Gothic decoration from the mid-19th century. The wall paintings in the palace chapel and in the Small Knights' Hall are among the important works of Rhenish High Romanticism. A visit concludes with the view from the Rhine Terrace over the valley.

Highlights

• Summer residence of Frederick William IV, designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel
• Originally furnished living rooms and the Great Knights' Hall
• High Romantic wall paintings in the palace chapel and Small Knights' Hall
• Landscape park by Peter Joseph Lenné with grottoes and waterfalls
• Pergola garden, tea hall and Rhine Terrace with view to the Marksburg
• Ghost Pass and listening stations for children and families

Permanent exhibition

• Schloss Stolzenfels – Führung durch die Schauräume – Tour through the rooms, furnished as a Prussian summer residence with original furnishings, the Great Knights' Hall and the palace chapel.

Operated by

Generaldirektion Kulturelles Erbe Rheinland-Pfalz (GDKE), Direktion Burgen Schlösser Altertümer

Admission & discounts

Tickets on site or online. The parking fee in the car park is added to the admission.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Only the outer and inner palace courtyards are accessible; the interior rooms are not. The approx. 20-minute path through the palace park is not barrier-free, but is feasible with a stroller. People with disabilities and a valid ID can be driven up after registering with the palace administration (tel. 0261 6675 4850); three accessible parking spaces are available. An accessible toilet is available only in the car park at the foot of the palace, not in the palace itself. The inner courtyard of the Klause can be reached with assistance or with an electric wheelchair. Dogs are not allowed, except guide dogs and assistance dogs.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

With the Ghost Pass (Geister-Pass), children search for the palace ghosts Willi and Fritzi and for a hidden clue, for which there is a stamp. Along the ascent, eight listening stations (QR code) tell stories with the palace ghost Fritzi Dreispitzi. The park path is suitable for strollers; the interior has steps.

Getting there & parking

Navigation address: Rhenser Straße 15, 56075 Koblenz. The palace lies above the Rhine cycle path and on the RheinBurgenWeg. Cycling in the Waldpark is not permitted; bicycle stands are located on the B 9 opposite Kapellener Platz. The ascent to the palace leads via a steep footpath.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Restaurant: not available

There is no food service at the palace; refreshments are available at Stolzenfels and in the surrounding villages.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit